Office buildout costs: what actually moves the number.

Why we won't give you one number

Any contractor quoting office buildout costs per square foot without seeing the space is guessing at your expense. A second-generation suite needing paint, carpet and a wall or two is a fundamentally different project from a shell space needing HVAC distribution, a restroom and a full electrical fit-out — and both are 'an office buildout.'

What we can do honestly is show you what moves the number, and then put a real figure on your actual space within 48 hours of walking it.

The cost tiers, in plain terms

• Refresh — paint, flooring, lighting swaps, minor wall changes in good second-gen space; the budget tier most offices actually need
• Reconfiguration — moving walls, relocating offices and conference rooms, updating finishes throughout; electrical and HVAC adjustments follow the walls
• Heavy remodel — new ceilings and lighting throughout, restroom work, kitchen/break buildout, significant mechanical and electrical scope
• Shell buildout — everything from bare shell: HVAC distribution, full electrical, plumbing, all partitions and finishes; the top of the range by a wide margin

What moves the number most

• Plumbing — every fixture away from existing lines costs real money; restrooms and break rooms drive budgets
• HVAC condition — reusing a healthy system versus replacing units or redoing distribution can swing a budget more than every finish decision combined
• Existing conditions — what's behind the walls of an older space; the reason pre-lease walkthroughs exist
• Finish level — glass, millwork and designer lighting versus clean commercial-grade; both can look good, one costs multiples
• Code triggers — ADA, fire and energy upgrades your renovation activates

The line items budgets forget

• Design and engineering fees — signed-and-sealed drawings aren't free
• Permit fees and timeline carry — rent often starts before the space earns
• Data cabling, security, AV — usually outside the construction contract; someone still pays
• Furniture — not construction, but very much part of the real project budget
• Contingency — renovation without contingency is a plan to be surprised

A written CASACOSTA proposal itemizes what's in and what's out, so the number you budget is the number you spend.